Fables selected from Dodsley, Croxall, &c. and revised

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1846

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Page 42 - The vizier to this great sultan (whether an humourist or an enthusiast, we are not informed) pretended to have learned of a certain dervise to understand the language of birds, so that there was not a bird that could open his mouth but the vizier knew what it was he said.
Page 39 - give me leave to ask your majesty a question or two. Who were the persons that lodged in this house when it was first built?' The king replied, 'His ancestors.' 'And who,' says the dervise, 'was the last person that lodged here ?' The king replied, ' His father.' ' And who is it,' says the dcrvisf, ' that lodges here at present ?' The king told him, that it was he himself.
Page 38 - Tartary, being arrived at the town of Balk, went into the king's palace by mistake, as thinking it to be a public inn or caravansary. Having looked about him for some time, he entered into a long gallery, where he laid down his wallet, and spread his carpet, in order to repose himself upon it, after the manner of the eastern nations.
Page 49 - Wind began, and blew a very cold blast, accompanied with a sharp, driving shower. But this, and whatever else he could do, instead of making the man quit his cloak, obliged him to gird it about his body as close as possible.
Page 58 - His wishes in this also were answered ; he still dreamed of the same pan of money, in the very same place.
Page 58 - ... sure of eating, and his frugality was such, that he every day laid some money by, which he would at intervals count and contemplate with much satisfaction. Yet still his acquisitions were not equal to his desires — he only found himself above want, whereas he desired to be possessed of affluence. One day as he was indulging these wishes, he was informed, that a neighbour of his had found a pan of money under ground, having dreamed of it three nights running before.
Page 31 - ... meet upon the way. They had not gone far, before a Bear came rushing towards them out of a thicket; upon which one, being a light nimble fellow, got up into a tree ; the other falling flat upon his face, and holding his breath, lay still, while the Bear came up and smelled at him ; but...
Page 47 - ... loud shrill neighing. He had not gone far before he overtook an Ass, who was labouring under a heavy burden, and moving slowly on in the same track with himself. Immediately he called out to him, in a haughty, imperious tone, and threatened to trample him in the dirt if he did not break the way for him.
Page 42 - I would fain know' says the sultan, ' what those two owls are saying to one another ; listen to their discourse, and give me an account of it.

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